When J. Jayalalithaa began her third substantive term as Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu last year, she was expected to undo some of the things that had gone wrong under the previous regime and take initiatives in areas that the Karunanidhi government had neglected. One year into her new term, those changes are more than evident. The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam government has strengthened the Public Distribution System by providing free rice, and raised rural income levels by providing free milch cows, goats and sheep to the poor immediately after assuming office. But change can lose its charm when it is done to fix things that ain't broke, when it is done simply for the purpose of reversing the previous government's schemes and projects. One such reversal was the overnight dismissal of 13,000 Makkal Nala Paniyalargal or people's welfare workers recruited by the DMK government. And then there was the move to drop the Uniform System of School Education just weeks before the academic year was to begin. Not that the USSE was without fault, but to slash the whole scheme in one sweeping stroke instead of trying to fix the defects in a structured manner showed a certain disregard for the interests of school-going children. The decision to not use the new Secretariat complex, and to move the Anna Centenary Library out of its well-furnished building also came through as politically coloured. Not surprisingly, time and energy which could have been spent more constructively went in fighting lost-cause legal battles over these rollback decisions.
To her credit, however, Ms Jayalalithaa also knew how to improve upon some of the DMK government's welfare measures. Although her government dropped the private insurer for the government's health scheme, the scheme itself got a makeover that made it a far improved version. Also, the government's drive against land-grabbing, initially seen as directed against DMK leaders, proved to be of great benefit to a large number of people who had lost their land to an organised mafia. The government has also been efficient in both short-term restoration and long-term rehabilitation after the death and destruction caused by cyclone Thane. Alongside some short-sighted steps motivated by political considerations, Ms Jayalalithaa unveiled a bold Vision Tamil Nadu 2023 document that aims to achieve 11 per cent economic growth and rid the State of hunger and poverty. For a party in power, good governance is the best way of conducting politics. The people of Tamil Nadu would like nothing better than for their Chief Minister to spend the next four years single-mindedly pursuing the goals set out in that document.
JJ took tough decisions to revive transport,milk,electricity corporations.Whie doing so she ensured that prices are less than other southern states .As a person travelling frequently to the village side I could see that people are much happier than they were in DMK regime.The welfare measures seem to have reached all .The main criticism seem to be samacheer, secretariate building and library shifting.Common people arent affected by secretariate and library issues as they would more welcome the hospitals.In fact it was not an issue with them at all as it was for the opposition leaders and journalists .
Supporting people with food, cows, laptop i.e by charity work will not help much. Only small fraction of the servie goes to the deserving ppl and rest to the non deserving ppl (politician, village autocrats etc). The solution is to give quality education, easy loan to the poor people,develp the infrastrure, create jobs.I wonder why these politician distribute laptops. This must be onother reason for them to get victory in next election or to win the support of poor people who see the short term benifit and support the politician based on the charity work they do.
I fully agree with the views posted by Sundresan and Shimray on parties distributing freebies to people. Moreover, I strongly feel that political sops do not eradicate poverty. Voters should not fall prey to the sops promised by parties in their election manifestoes. Instead, the youth should prefer jobs, the farmers should prefer better prices for their products and the women should prefer stricter implementation of laws enacted for their safety, and the people in general should prefer policies that empower them rather than seek to provide temporary relief.
India is producing a new breed of Chief Ministers, who are focused on economic growth and governance, rather than politics. To her credit, Jayalalitha is in the same league as Nitish Kumar and Akhilesh Yadhav is attempting the same. JJ is not free from politics and the DMK gets into her skin often, which is understandable. But the 2013 plan shows that she is not going to waste too much time on the DMK, who by all acoounts seems a spent force. Bravo Tamilnadu!
Exactly similar things are going to happen in UP as here also the
rival party has come into government. This is beyond understanding why
do the rival parties begin to undo the measures taken by the
precedent? the new government should begin to implement their agendas
as announced in the concerned manifesto while continuing the
worthwhile policies and measures of the previous government.Why to
waste energy,resources and time in deconstructing emulator's actions?
Somehow,this kind of cut throat emulation is encouraged by the voters
at some level and this is not going to be beneficial to either side.
One of which i dont like in this ADMK's regime is she was making all announcments of different departments under Assembly Rule 110, which is supposed to be only for critcal issues. She made 39 statements under Rule 110 in recent proceedings which were not in TN assembly history.
Instead, the annoucements should come from minister holding the portfolios.
Another thing is ADMK ministers were busy bullying opposition leader instead of understanding issues in departments.
Some of the responses reek of servitude and the right to free undeserved entitlement of some sort. Free laptops are a novel idea while the state is reeking under power cuts day after day. What will be next? Loincloth for menfolk and brushing childrens' teeth?
You have not mentioned anything about her efforts to restore credible
power supply to Tamilnadu. After she came to power, it was hoped that
the power situation would improve; but it had worsened. What are the
plans of this govt. is not clear as we can not simply believe what the
govt. says. What is The Hindu's assessment?
Sundresan has written that laptops and sanitary napkins are charity. I think they are empowerment tools and should be seen in that context. Like free textbooks, a free laptop enables a student in his studies. Free textbooks have been around for years. With changing times it is fitting that a laptop be given free. The success of this idea is that the rest of the country is copying it. Kudos to Selvi Jayalalita for this. If each and every student becomes computer literate imagine the productivity gain to the country. Laptops brought home inspire younger siblings still in school and also bring it to mothers and fathers who experience its power first hand. Sundresan has suggested that kids should be able to buy it. Well, the next generation will. If you can afford a deluxe laptop why would one want a basic laptop from the government ? Similarly sanitary napkins will enable millions of girls to be mobile and free and get educated. Not stay at home because of a curse !
It seems politicians want to prolong poverty - giving free stuffs to the poor to get their vote once every five years is their proven method of clinging to their seats! If people are no more poor, free stuffs won't work anymore. Hence, they want to keep the poor as poor while each day they fatten themselves to the point of bursting!
"Even the worst administration that Ms.Jayalalitha can give to the people of TN would be 10 times better than having a One Family cornered rule" said Subramania Swamy as soon as the drubbing of the DMK was evident. I tend to go along with that assessment. But having said that, this one year Balance Sheet of governance which you have analyzed in your Editorial , does not give Ms.Jaya enough credit for her handling of Power situation and deciding positively on Kundankulam. There is an orderliness in the functioning of the Administrative Machinery and we have not been hearing any political interference so far anywhere in the state. PDS is functioning well becoz the erstwhile DMK Mafia was systematically smuggling rice and other essentials and indulging in massive destruction eco wealth through sand quarrying etc. To them it only matters to keep their and their Leader's pockets full earned through scant respect for laws and rules. Ms.Jayalalitha deserves praise for a good first year
JJ has done an outstanding job of managing the financial crunch left behind by the previous regime.But the hike in milk price,bus fares and of course the electricity tariff has terribly affected the poor,middle and upper middle class without a choice.i think everybody would agree with me on that.Just imagine household where only elderly persons live and think of the financial burden imposed by the present rule.its painful as there are households which run only on the govt pension.J should consider this and soon bring out a effective announcement that would keep these citizens a little happy!!!
One year is not really a time for performance review of a state government. However,the analysis must be done based on projections of key living conditions of the people. I have not seen any quantitative projections about Per Capita Income and Infrastructure for energy, education, health, employment etc. A vision is projected recently. Celebration of the so called achievements is nothing but KITE FLYING.
Two things I would like to see being improved is the public Transporatation system and Power Shortages.
If Metro project can be kept on track sticking to deadlines and if can keep power shortages at bay, then investment will automatically flow into Tamil Nadu and it will be a huge benifit to the people.
The reversal of previous government's actions, mentioned in the first paragraph, strangely reminds me of Tughlaq's shifting of capital... Initially the CM of Tamilnadu seemed carried away by the reversals, much against the liking of the public. Hopefully, the constructive actions by the AIADMK, in the years to come, can help make up for the unpopularity earned in the beginning of the term.
The people's welfare workers or Makkal Nala Paniyalargal dismissal still remains a thorn in flesh against the AIADMK regime.Something like reskilling and utilizing them in other departments can be considered and they need be welcoming such reskilling programmes and readily get inducted into the mainstream instead of fighting forever.
Well It seems that this government is smart enough to recognize the common people as its target area. Govt has come up with very good initiatives. The idea of cancelling the decision of uniform school education is quite disturbing. Students and specially teachers will be forced to adapt to such administrative decisions in short time. Education needs to be the center of theme as its only the beacon of hope for India in future.
Giving House,Laptop,Napkin and etc as charity reflects badly on the state of affair prevailing in the country which is 68 years old! Nothing should be given free of cost,but all must capable to be able to buy them according to their needs.Progress and development should not be told,but to be felt and seen.How long people can survive on charity of the ruling parties.Every party want to strengthen its hold on people and retain their power and position by all means perpectually.It is bad for democracy..People need to be get enlightened and discriminate.Political awareness is urgent need of the hour.No party should be allowed to remain in power for more than a single term.Another party should be given chance to perform still better.So that poverty and illiteracy and ignorance can be wiped out expidiouly.Of course the CM.Tamilnadu did well in her past one year.she deserves recognition.
She introduced laptops for students ; UP is copying this idea. Again,I think she is giving free sanitary napkins to girls. Worthy of a mention in the editorial.
Tamil Nadu governments action against land grabbers is to be much appreciated. Before the present goverment assumed power their was no mechanism for ordinary people to seek help against powerful land grabbers. Present goverment is also following previous government policies regarding industrialization. What is desired is new policies on farming, cold storage and processing facilities for fruits and vegetables and eliminating illegal pesticides being used, restoration of irrigation tanks, sewage collection, treatment and disposal and improved garbage collection and disposal.
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